Just over a week ago we announced a contest to design a new NHLNumbers logo. And aside from those designers who castigated us for soliciting spec work or something, the response was fairly positive. We received a number of excellent entries which we have been poring over with serious minds and profound thoughts.

It's too difficult a decision for us, I think, so we'd like reader impressions as well. We'll forgo the easily skew-able web poll in favor of yays or nays in the comments. Share your thoughts and we'll pick the winner from the finalists by the end of the day.

Thanks again to to everyone who participated.

First up we have what was obviously the strongest submission -

Luckily it was from Nations Network owner Wanye Gretz who was therefore ineligible to enter. Nevertheless, he clearly set a pretty high bar.

I didn't design it, nor do I know the person who did, NOR did I enter the contest. But I am a designer and I know what I'm talking about.

NHL numbers is a site that can work on its own and has its own brand power potential. Don't confuse people by using the fist. The team sites can have fist logos because they are a family, a group of similar style sites. They work together. NHL numbers should exist on its own, it is a different niche.

That's my contribution to the contest which I believe is just as valuable as creating a logo entry in the first place.

I think Entry D is the most professional looking. I did like entry I because it incorporates the fist, but would need to reworked a little. Say a FIST holding the paper and pencil inside the shield with NHL Numbers logo on the bottom of the shield or just underneath.

Yeah, I got excited when I saw everyone voting for D, which is my entry, but it appears most people are getting the labeling confused. D is the graph logo, C is the logo the fist (which is very good, by the way, and fits the theme of the Nation Network quite nicely).